My Parasite Skill System

For now, I only observed. My escort indicated I to do so.

Passing by the warriors' lodge and area, I peeked over to their side, making sure I wasn't seen by them for some unknown reason.

Gently sliding my eyes in from the side of their wide, open entrance–there were a dozen people. Gauging them up, I think there was one, two, and three instructors or masters by the place at the moment.

They were separated into two groups. Surrounding two of the instructors out to the side, there were seven random humans.

By them, on the smooth floor they had, there were lines drawn. White lines. The lines drew a lengthy rectangular around lined up tatami mats.

And so, was that about their training and teaching? Hm.

One instructor only stood by their formation with the random people. The other one was on the tatami mats, and he fought with an apprentice.

Or so it seemed to me, at least. It wasn't a real fight, though. Her–the instructor's–slow movements indicated she only was 'training' the young one.

Everyone outside their little arena only observed. Just like me.

And the newbie warriors' training time went on and forth.

The other group deeper into their four walls and roof was with the other instructor. His mouth only spoke when his arms drew illustrations added to his words.

Should I join them?

"Oh ho ho?" Clumsy laughed. "Oh ho ho ho ho ho??? Are we chickening out now, my little sir?"

I wasn't.

The human female stood beside me by the door. And laughing into her hand, her eyes and pressed brows were just as mischievous as playful.

"N–no. … Me, I only said I wanted to see them first … y'know. That is what I do, hm."

"Come on! Why don't you go get 'em!"

And her cheeky smile only grew more blatant. Stepping up, she came at me. Her two hands went on both of my flanks and assaulted me in a game.

As the lady's sudden burst of eagerness and happiness rubbed off on me, I smiled and giggled a little with her, letting myself be caught in the game, before I explained that no: I wouldn't 'go get 'em.'

She said they wouldn't chew me. I was cool. I could go. That's what I'd been there for, after all.

And I insisted saying I hadn't come up here with her just to try something like this yet. I just wanted to see and figure out things.

"Yes, yes," she nodded. "Whatever you say, little sir."

"Hm."

"I wouldn't ask you to choose them before we have seen them all, anyways. Here, come on. They aren't the only one you can choose your class … and skills–yes, skills, I know you love skills–your class and skills from."

"You're correct, yes; they aren't the only one I can choose my class and skills–I love skills and stuff–my class and skills from."

"Pfft."

"Oh."

" 'Oh', yes. You 'oh' me again."

"Why you laugh? Fun of me again???"

"Nothing. You're just a little bizarre. It's fun."

"Fun."

She chuckled again. Then we went on marching some more steps.

Our tour wasn't just finished yet.

And my human female did what she had to do. That is to say, making me visit.

After the warriors', we went straight to the archers'. They interested me. The local within which they trained was about the same as the warriors'. Pretty standard, with a good dozen disciples attending the training, and with three or four instructors giving them about instructions.

Fun to watch them.

We didn't linger. Big sister told me to hurry a little. She didn't want to linger for too long. After the archers', we went straight to the mages'.

Then again, their local, place, and people were just about the same as the two others'.

I had seen, I had watched, I had heard, and I had listened. All of which was thanks to my companion.

This had been a long day: at some point, my companion's feet turned and stopped. She faced me.

"Like I told you, now, I shall go, my boy."

She explained to me she really couldn't stay for too long past a certain time. I understood. Urgence or not, she'd told me in advance she'd want to go. She'd have to go.

"'Kay. Thank you for accompanying me, big sister. Goodbyes."

"Oh, you plan on staying?"

"A little more."

"Only a little more, then."

"Why?"

"Mmm … well: aren't you coming back with us tomorrow again?"

"Yes."

"Then don't be too late."

" … why?"

She pressed her eyebrows, shook her head at me, and softly spoke, "Well, but you need to sleep, don't you?"

"… right. I need to sleep."

"Or you don't."

"Or … I don't. Right."

"Huh. You do need to sleep, right??? You tell me."

"I think I do … yes."

"Mm, well, aren't you a clueless one, my boy."

" … why, clueless?"

"Shush, shush," and her hand went patting the top of my head, before she went on, "I shall go. Soon–very, very soon–the sun will go down: so I will go turn in, now. And you know the way, now. The way in, the way out, from either entrance, back or front. So you're cool, all right? You stay there, and you observe … whatever it is you truly wanna observe … and I shall go. … Bye."

"I wanna say many 'thank yous'. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Goodbyes."

Scoffing, smiling … and flinching my forehead, for some reason; her legs took her up–and she departed.

My eyes followed her till she left.

And I stood there, beside yet another guild's local that I didn't really care about.

I thought about what she said. Whatever it was I truly wanted to observe, huh.

Has she seen through me?

I only needed her to be gone. I've had the intel I wanted to have.

What about what I truly wanna observe?

I don't really know that myself, to be honest.

Or maybe I do know. It's all still kind of foggy and vague for now.

All I know is: I gotta wait. That's right. Some waiting around. Do nothing … and simply wait around.

And I know that by doing this waiting around; it will happen again.

–Just as I thought this; I was paralyzed.

My heartbeat quickened. My lungs had to pick up the pace.

I knew it. I knew it was bound to happen again. It's already happened twice so far–now is the third time.

Where is this aura coming from? I need to concentrate … and find this out. I'm gonna kill 'em!

–But my body tensed up. I felt freezing all over. My bones were stabbed. Stabbed and pierced by the deadly chilliness that invaded my senses.

All at once; I was alone, in the dark, in the snow, in the cold. Also; I was bitten by this loneliness, stomped upon by this dark, frozen by this snow, forsaken by this cold.

I felt death. Only I could feel it. It was directed at me.

And it only was too obvious to me. I felt it yesterday. And I'm sure I'd feel it tomorrow.

Death was frolicking with me. It only lasted one little second. Second which wasn't over still.

And all of a sudden, the idea struck me!

"Hold on a second, though…!" I muttered, starting to sweat a little. "Has … whatever that is also been waiting for her to … go?"

Then I only gulped. Who likes being prey? Who even does that?